


Tasting Science

by Lunarium



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-11
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-11-23 03:34:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11394522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunarium/pseuds/Lunarium
Summary: Coran discovers something while preparing a dinner for his new family.





	Tasting Science

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Longpig](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Longpig/gifts).



Coran beamed at them all. 

There they all sat, Shiro among them once again. None of them thought they would be able to get Shiro back, but at the Castle he had returned. He was in an awful shape, and this was the first meal he would be having with the rest of the team after stepping out of the healing pod. The process hadn’t healed everything quite yet. Some sort of pain still lingered, which Shiro vaguely alluded to with the occasional hand shooting to his side, a gesture that was not lost on either Coran nor Keith. But with a smile and a nod of his head, he would assure Keith he was fine. 

Coran himself would have to take Shiro’s word for it, for now. He was more interested in studying the others at the table. All five Paladins once more united, the sight of them together bringing a bright smile to Coran that he felt glowing in his heart. There was Allura, looking radiant now that her team was back with her, and Kolivan and members from the Blade of Marmora. And Slav too, bless him. 

Kolivan was also injured, but not enough to warrant a visit to the healing pods. Allura herself had taken care of the matter. The two were getting close, Coran noted. Not that this was a bad thing, but Coran couldn’t help but notice how subdued Allura was after their first fight together against Haggar. Since that moment she had begun to warm up to Kolivan. 

Whatever it was, he was happy for them. She needed all the friends and allies, and a lover too if she desired that, at this time. 

He took in the entire scene one more time before heading back to the kitchen. It was a long time since the dining table was teeming with so many guests. He remembered King Alfor sitting where Princess Allura sat now with the Queen besides him, and a younger Allura chatting happily with Coran’s own daughter—he paused, the smile turning upside down in the empty hall. He could almost hear her voice, echoing down the corridor some ten thousand years ago, followed by her mother chasing after her. 

With a shake of his head, Coran turned back and entered the kitchen. 

The past. They belonged to the past, to a point in time where they could not reach them with any of the Castle’s technology. So he had his new family to watch over and care for. And if he could, there were times he wished he could wrap his arms over all of them at once. 

He sighed and shook his head. “Tears don’t make good seasoning, you old handsome fool! Get a grip on yourself!” 

There were a few more meals to prepare, all simple ones, and a few more to check in the oven. Midway through preparing a salad, he picked up a small paper bag and sprinkled on the sugary and sour bits of candy on his tongue, instantly enjoying the fizzling and popping sensation. 

A while ago Lance, Hunk, and Pidge had introduced Coran to the Earthian delight known as Pop Rocks. There was a whole lot of science that went into some entertaining children’s candy (why they were labeled _children’s_ candy when the Paladins carried some on them remained to be seen), but they could be enjoyed by any. And Coran found them delightfully amusing. He was tasting science right at on his tongue. 

Time went on. He kept working, kept eating. The bag ran out of candy, and though he really shouldn’t—somehow Lance had a whole stack with him when he came here; Coran didn’t know what the boy was planning that fateful night on Earth—he reached for another bag. Tropical Punch. Whatever that was he knew he was going to savor it. 

But as he was ripping open the bag, it split wide open, and tiny bright blue gem-like rocks shot up before plopping into his goblet of nunvill. Some got on his mustache as well, and he shook them off. 

He didn’t have a moment to grieve the chance to enjoy what Tropical Punch tasted like before the fireworks began. The goblet trembled, and then suddenly the Pop Rocks combusted, shooting in magnificent jets of brilliant colors and loud fizzing sounds. 

Coran’s jaws fell open. “Well, will you look at that!” 

Hunk had mentioned what would happen if one mixed soda pop and Pop Rocks together—a dangerous mix, which was pleasant to hear that Earth didn’t bar children from a bit of dangerous fun. 

But to combine the properties of nunvill and Pop Rocks…

His mind suddenly went back to the group waiting for him in the dining hall, and he smiled. 

He could do a little science experiment of his own right here. But he would have to be very careful. He didn’t want to do anything that could set Shiro off; setting an explosion unwarned was not something Shiro was in any shape to go through. Slav was even worse; he had one too many bad incidents with that fellow that he would much rather like to forget. 

But Lance did bring _a lot_ of Pop Rock bags with him. And this _was_ a night to celebrate, and Coran had a wonderful idea brewing in his head.

*

The pool of topics for conversation was beginning to run low and still Coran hadn’t appeared.

“What’s taking him so long?” Lance whined loudly. 

Hunk nodded empathetically. “I knew I should have gone in to help him.”

“No worries, fellows!” came Coran’s voice from somewhere beyond the closed door. “I’m just putting on the final touches for the grand entrance.” 

“What grand entrance?” Lance called out as a loud frizzing sound issued from behind the door. “Coran, what are you—” 

Everyone gasped as the doors slid open to a series of what appeared to be fireworks streaming out of the serving table. They shot out in sparkling bright hues of blues, reds, greens, and violets, twirling like whirlpools. Even when Coran set the large plates on the table, the contents in the goblets did not strike anyone; yet some of those who were sitting did stand up and take a few steps back. 

“Coran!” Allura cried out. 

“Now, Princess!” Coran said happily. “Had a little happy discovery in the kitchen back there. Nothing here will hurt you! How about we all celebrate! Mind you, mixing these exploding Earth rocks with nunvill may land you right into the healing pods if you take good aim, so I wouldn’t drink from any of the glasses!” 

Realization dawned the Paladins’ faces and smiles replaced the looks of confusion. But everyone else were still staring in bewilderment. Slav stood the farthest away as if a spark might light him aflame. 

“Exploding Earth rocks!” Allura turned to the Paladins. All five were leaned forward in unison, grinning from ear to ear. 

“We call them Pop Rocks back at home, Princess,” Shiro explained. 

“They’re the very best!” Lance said. 

“I would not try to green ones first,” Hunk suggested. 

Allura stood up as Coran handed her a small black bag with bright red markings. 

“Put a little amount at a time,” Coran instructed. 

Allura was going to protest before seeing that Kolivan was watching her. Not wanting to show herself back away from a challenge, especially not with _Kolivan_ witnessing, she tore off a corner and sprinkled on a few pieces over her tongue. The result was instantaneous: a gurgling, tickling sensation tickled all over. 

“Do you taste the science, Allura?” Coran asked joyfully, spreading his arms wide. 

“Ah! Coran, what is this!” Shock quickly melted into amusement as she tasted the candy and began to laugh. 

Laughing along with her, Pidge shot and took her hand; Allura gave her some of the Pop Rocks to try. Soon more bags were open and exchanged among them. Even Slav drew closer, curious just to examine a piece and mumble about all the infinite possible outcomes of exploding rock consumption. The biggest delight was when Kolivan and a fellow Blade member were given a bag each. Studying the Earthian delight, they hesitated. 

“It’s a children’s snack!” Lance said, and that was enough to convince them. First they shared horrified looks before their deep laughter mingled with the Paladins and Coran’s. 

Though they had to stay away from nunvill—“Thank God!” Lance had said to that—the rest of their meals could be perfectly enjoyed with the rocks beside them. The meal, they all told Coran, was excellent. Conversations picked up again. Shiro didn’t look in pain for one moment. Even Slav enjoyed himself. 

Coran beamed, sitting among them, here with his new family. Not a single face wore sadness, and that was how it should be.


End file.
